MCCTM celebrates month three of our “TRANSFormative Church Ministry Program”! We are excited to announce that more than 170 books were ordered in our original release! We look forward to the New Year and new ministries being started from the ongoing program. Our first set of UPDATES are expected in the first quarter of 2011, including our first MCC workshop focused on Significant Others, Friends, Families and Allies! Keep an eye to MCCTM for more information!

The MCC “TRANSFormative Church Ministry Program” is now available for download on the MCC Website! Click here to download all program materials!

What’s The Word?The Preaching Moment – Rev. Mel preached at MCC Philadelphia on November 7th. Mel’s sermon was entitled “Who is the Bully?” The message focused on the recent deaths of our young people and our various responses to these events. Scripture: Luke 18:9-14. Many thanks to MCCP for receiving Mel! Watch Online

The Preaching Moment – Angel preached at St. John’s MCC in Raleigh, NC on November 21st. Angel’s sermon “Embrace the Journey” offers personal stories and reflection. Scripture: James 1:2. Thanks to St. John’s for receiving Angel! Click here to watch online!

From the Desk of Rev. Mel

My work with HRC’s Religion and Faith Program culminated in an invitation to represent the program during Soulforce’s Symposium in Philadelphia, November 5-6, 2010. I was exceedingly impressed by the diversity of the gathering, both among attendees and presenters.

We gathered on the Friday prior to our day-long symposium in Love Park (downtown Philadelphia) for a LIFE Rally. Featuring a performance by Ray Boltz, this rally called for solidarity against bullying in our schools. We shivered together, cried together, and spoke together “We Are Accepted!”

Our symposium began early Saturday morning and continued throughout the day. The opening plenary by Jay Bakker (pastor of Revolution NYC church and speaker at MCC’s General Conference 2007) shed light on an ally’s journey among religious leaders. Jay’s perspective: “Silence is Violence!” Amen!

Break out sessions, workshops, discussion panels, and community meals offered all gathered at the symposium the opportunity to consider our next steps and best tools for combating the destructive spiritual violence found in reparative therapeutic measures…Read the full report here.

Angel Collie recently facilitated the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) Gender Identity and Our Faith Communities: A Congregational Guide for Transgender Advocacy sponsored by Metropolitan Community Church of Richmond (Virginia) and People of Faith for Equality of Virginia. His report is below.

Though I have facilitated this curriculum on multiple occasions, this particular study of HRC’s curriculum seemed more important than ever. With so much at stake considering the current state of ENDA, a clearer understanding of transgender experience in our faith communities and our civil lives is timely and necessary. We need real advocacy for transgender people in our communities and congregations. This training was an opportunity to explain the need for advocacy, outline the pressing issues, and foster leaders in this movement.

The class was a wonderful experience with an intimate group of 15 people. Everyone in attendance eagerly accepted the opportunity to learn, ask questions, and engage in the process. Many of those gathered felt they wanted to be inclusive of transgender people, but just didn’t know how to be!

Transformation in attitudes, language, and understanding affected each participant through the course of our time together….Read the full report here.

Now What? Are you connected to MCC Transgender Ministries on Facebook? We’d love to hear from you! Add us, message us, and share us!!! Facebook.com/MCCTM

Didn’t order your copy of MCC Transformative Church Ministry Program? Download it today! We offer this program’s materials free of charge online. Simply click here to download your copy and access updates as they are released!

Looking for that perfect congregational New Year’s resolution? Now that you’ve received/downloaded your MCC Transformative Church program get set with your New Year’s Intention to begin the program!!! Email Mel or Angel to officially begin this program in your congregation!!!! Angel and Rev. Mel

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year’s from MCC Transgender Ministries!!!

A Note From the Editor

Hello All,

Wow, it is hard to believe that the year is drawing to a close in the next couple of weeks.With that in mind, MCC Headline News will be taking a break during holidays. We began this journey together earlier this year with the hopes and intentions of bringing you real MCC news and information that you can use.This year had been filled with information from the global justice front, resources, updates from the MCC Moderator and a myriad of things to help you and your congregations begin to change the world right where you are.We have brought you calls for action, justice, prayer and captured the stories of MCC from a denominational level all the way to the work that our people are doing in and around the world.Thank you for taking this journey with us and supporting us with your vision and prayers.

I would like to thank the members of the MCC Communications Team: Barbara Crabtree, Rev. Melanie Martinez, Carlos Chavez and Judy Dale for their vision, efforts and creativity.Your presence and dedication keeps the work that we do together real and fun; you all are amazing and I am blessed by my time with you.

On behalf of the MCC Communications Team, we wish you a beautiful holiday season, a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!We will pick up with more MCC Headline News in January of 2011.

Namaste,

Kathy Beasley

MCC Director of Communications

People of African Descent, Friends & Allies Conference 2011

Give the gift of PAD Conference Registration to those on your holidayshopping list.

Register Today for this life changing event! Look for more information on MCC’s 2011 PAD Conference in your inbox.

Save the Date!

19 – 22 May 2011 in Washington, DC

Complete the MCC 2011 Clergy License Renewal by December 31st

Online License Payments and Downloadable Forms

Congratulations Angel Collie, Co-Lead of MCC Transgender Ministries (MCCTM), will be traveling to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (January 4-8, 2011) on a training mission organized by LGBT Organization Labrys and funded by LGBTI Initiative of Open Society Institute. Angel is traveling as one of a three-person facilitation team to conduct a training for Central Asian LGBT Activists on advocacy and capacity building. Angel will facilitate a simulation on crisis situation and conduct a session on gender identity, sexual orientation and faith at the training. Additionally he will take part in Labrys strategic planning session sharing his experiences of working with MCC and serving on Soulforce Q’s Equality Rides. His presence will undoubtedly draw attention to his work with MCCTM as well as his many other accomplishments through sister LGBT organizations. Congratulations and thank you for your service, Angel!